Sunday's NFL Week 8 betting cheat sheet: Early action

The Dallas Cowboys are riding a two-game winning streak and starting
to put up some impressive defensive numbers to go along with Tony Romo
and the offense. That passing defense will get a workout on Sunday when
the Cowboys visit Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the Detroit
Lions. The Lions are sixth in the NFL in passing at an average of 304.1
yards but are giving up nearly as many yards in the secondary.

Dallas’
defense got a wake-up call in a 51-48 loss to the Denver Broncos on
Oct. 6 and has been a different unit since, holding its last two
opponents to a total of 19 points. The Cowboys are beginning their
defensive turnaround without a few big names on the line and could be
without end DeMarcus Ware (strained right quad) for a second straight
game on Sunday. Detroit dropped two of its last three games and suffered
its first home loss against Cincinnati last week.LINE: Detroit has held steady as a three-point favorite. The total opened at 51.WEATHER: N/ACOVERS POWER RANKINGS: Dallas (-4.0) - Detroit (-1.0) - home field (-3.0) = PickTRENDS:

* Cowboys are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games.* Lions are 8-18 ATS in their last 26 games against the NFC.* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5, 38.5)

The Kansas City Chiefs look to remain the only undefeated team in the
NFL when they host the slumping Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Kansas City
maintained its unblemished record when it eked out a 17-16 home victory
over the Houston Texans last week. One key to the Chiefs' perfect mark
is their stingy defense, which has allowed a league-low 81 points and
hasn't yielded more than 17 in a game.

Cleveland attempts to halt
its two-game skid, as well as Kansas City's remarkable run, behind a new
quarterback. With Brian Hoyer out for the season with a knee injury and
Brandon Weeden fizzling, the Browns turn to Jason Campbell. After
winning three straight to become one of the NFL's surprise teams through
five weeks, Cleveland has lost contests against Detroit and Green Bay
by a combined 62-30.

LINE: K.C. opened as a 9.5-point fave. The total opened at 39 and is down to 38.5.WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s under sunny skies.COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Cleveland (+4.5) + Kansas City (-4.5) + home field (-3.0) = Kansas City -12TRENDS:

* Browns are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.* Chiefs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.* Under is 18-7-1 in Cleveland's last 26 games on grass.Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-6.5, 45.5)

The Miami Dolphins won their first three games of the season to present
themselves as a serious challenger to the New England Patriots in the
AFC East. After losing their next three contests, the Dolphins look to
remain within earshot of the division-leading Patriots on Sunday when
the teams meet in Foxborough, Mass. Dan Carpenter burned his former team
by drilling the go-ahead field goal with 33 seconds remaining in the
fourth quarter as Buffalo rallied to a 23-21 victory over Miami last
weekend.

New England fell to an AFC East rival for the first time
in 13 meetings as the New York Jets spoiled the return of Rob
Gronkowski en route to a 30-27 overtime decision last week. After
stringing together touchdown passes in 52 consecutive games, Tom Brady
failed to throw one for the second time in three weeks - although he
connected with his Pro Bowl tight end eight times for 114 yards.

LINE: The Pats opened as 7-point faves are are now -6.5. The total opened at 45.5.WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s under sunny skies. Wind will blow across the field at 11 mph.COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Miami (+1.0) + New England (-5.0) + home field (-3.0) = New England -9TRENDS:

* Dolphins are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 Week 8 games.* Patriots are 0-5 ATS in their last five games vs. the AFC.* Under is 5-1 in the Dolphins' last six games against the AFC East.

After a week off, the New Orleans Saints look to rebound
from their first loss of the season when they host the Buffalo Bills on
Sunday. It's a homecoming for former Saints offensive coordinator Doug
Marrone, whose Bills snapped a six-game road losing streak with a 23-21
win at Miami last week and seek back-to-back wins away from home for the
first time since 2009.

The Saints have won three games by eight points or fewer
but ended up on the wrong end of a 30-27 decision at New England last
time out and are wary of a Buffalo team that been competitive in every
game.

LINE: The Saints opened as 12.5-point faves but are now -11. The total opened at 50 and is down to 48.WEATHER: N/ACOVERS POWER RANKINGS: Buffalo (+4.5) - New Orleans (-6.0) + home field (-3.0) = New Orleans -13.5TRENDS:

* Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.* Saints are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a bye week. * Over is 14-3 in Buffalo's last 17 games on turf.

Unless the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants play to a tie on
Sunday - and given the NFC East this season, anything is possible - a
long losing streak is going to end this weekend. The Eagles have not won
a home game since defeating the Giants on Sept. 30, 2012, losing nine
straight at Lincoln Financial Field. Meanwhile, New York has not won a
road game since Oct. 14, 2012, at San Francisco, dropping eight in a row
away from MetLife Stadium.

The Giants notched their first win of
the season Monday night versus the Vikings and now they will try to win
back-to-back games for the first time since going 4-0 in October 2012.

LINE: The Eagles opened as 5.5-point faves and are now -5. The total opened at 53 and is down to 50.5.WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-50s. Wind will blow across the field at 8 mph.COVERS POWER RANKINGS: New York (+4.0) - Philadelphia (+1.0) + home field (-3.0) = Philadelphia -6TRENDS:

* Bills are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a SU win.* Saints are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games.* Over is 6-0 in New Orleans' last six games following a bye week.

The San Francisco 49ers look to carry their hot streak overseas when
they take on the winless Jacksonville Jaguars at London's Wembley
Stadium on Sunday. Since an ugly 20-point loss at home to Indianapolis
on Sept. 22, the 49ers have won four straight by an average of 20.3
points. The league's third-ranked rushing attack rolled up 153 yards on
the ground in a 31-17 win at Tennessee last Sunday, San Francisco's
fourth straight game with at least 30 points.

The 49ers defeated
Denver 24-16 at Wembley on Oct. 31, 2010. Jacksonville is making its
first overseas appearance and has agreed to play a home game in London
every year through 2016. The Jaguars, who allow 26.2 more rushing yards
than any other team in the NFL, ran their losing streak over the past
two seasons to 12 with a 24-6 loss to San Diego last Sunday.

LINE: The 49ers opened as 17-point favorites but are now -14.5. The total opened 40.5.WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-50s and wind will blow diagonally across the field at 16 mph.COVERS POWER RANKINGS: San Francisco (-5.5) + Jacksonville (+9.0) + neutral site (0) = Jacksonville +14.5TRENDS:

* 49ers are 22-7-1 ATS in their last 30 games on grass.* Jaguars are 8-18-1 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with winning records.* Over is 8-2 in San Francisco's last 10 games following a SU win.

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What you see is what you get each year from Pittsburgh, which builds through the draft, doesn’t sign a lot of free agents and basically comes at you. How much Ben Roethlisberger has left is a question asked every September given the number of hits he takes. The biggest change will be at defensive coordinator, where legend Dick Lebeau is gone – which may mean the LBs will be freer to attack the pocket.

The Vikes have Adrian Peterson back and things seem to have calmed down a bit in Minnesota. But then again, Mike Wallace has been on board for only a few months. Vikes are looking for a huge Year 2 improvement from Teddy Bridgewater and if they get it they can make things sticky in the North.

In 2014/15 the Steelers were 1-3 SU/ATS in the preseason and in 2013/14 they were 0-4 SU/ATS. After missing the playoffs in 2013/14, Pittsburgh returned last year only to lose 30-17 to the Ravens in the Wildcard round. Mike Tomlin has clearly not been very worried about winning in the preseason the last few years.

Last year the Vikes went 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in the preseason, after going 1-3 SU/ATS in 2013/14 and 1-3 SU/ATS in 2012/13. For a team which is desperately trying to get back to the playoffs, the preseason suddenly becomes a lot more important.

There are many players on Minnesota which have something to prove, while Pittsburgh will surely be happy to just go through the motions and leave Canton without any significant injuries.

Minnesota would seem to be the more motivated team in this one, consider laying the short points.

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